We and our trusted partners use technology such as cookies on our site to personalize content and ads, provide social media features, and analyze our traffic. You can read more about it and change your preferences here.
The wedding ceremony is a momentous occasion for the bride and groom. It’s a day they should be cherishing forever as they celebrate a milestone moment in their lives.
Ideally, the focus should be solely on the couple, not on anyone else. But as you will read in the twostories below, the groom’s mom can sometimes steal the spotlight and ruin what could’ve been a memorable day.
In both instances, the entitled mothers showed up at the ceremony looking like they were about to walk down the aisle. Read through and see whether you feel disappointment or secondhand embarrassment first.
RELATED:
The last thing anyone wants during their wedding is for someone to cause a scene
Groom’s mom in a wedding dress with pearl necklace, holding a man's hand, attending a wedding event indoors.
Conflict between the parents and the couple is usually rooted in “unspoken assumptions”
In that first story, the mom felt it would be completely fine to wear what could easily be mistaken as a wedding dress. She believed she wasn’t doing anything wrong because her dress had “more sleeves” on it. She also thought it was acceptable to act as if it were her big day.
ADVERTISEMENT
These “unspoken assumptions” are a leading cause of conflict between parents and the soon-to-be newlyweds, according to professional bridal coach Kara Ghassabeh.
“To each person, ‘the right thing’ seems so obvious, they don’t realize it needs a conversation until after feelings are hurt. It’s the unexpected emotions that underpin these choices and fuel conflict,” Ghassabeh told Brides, adding that parents often underestimate how much their presence and identity are tied to the ceremony.
It wasn’t clear in either story whether the mothers of the groom provided any form of financial support. But if it were the case, whoever paid for the wedding may feel a sense of entitlement, like they have the upper hand.
“When parents are paying, they often feel like parents, wanting to give advice and make decisions like they have throughout their kids’ childhood,” etiquette expert Diane Gottsman said in the same Brides interview.
ADVERTISEMENT
People in the comments didn’t hold back with their reactions, some pointing to a possible mental illness
Screenshot of an online comment thread discussing how the groom’s mom showing up in a wedding dress ruined the couple’s big day.
Online discussion about backyard weddings and the groom’s mom showing up in a wedding dress ruining the big day
ADVERTISEMENT
Alt text: Groom’s mom attends wedding wearing a white dress, causing drama and upsetting the couple on their big day.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comment criticizing bride’s friends after groom’s mom shows up in wedding dress, causing wedding day drama.
Comment discussing confusion about the phrase more sleeves in the context of groom’s mom at wedding.
Comment on a wedding dress drama where the groom’s mom showed up, causing tension and ruining the couple’s big day.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Comment on a forum post about groom’s mom showing up in a wedding dress, hinting at her ruining the couple’s big day.
Comment on forum discussing groom’s mom showing up in wedding dress, causing disruption on the couple’s big day.
Comment discussing a woman embarrassing herself at a wedding, related to groom’s mom in a wedding dress controversy.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comment on Reddit suggesting a prank where multiple people ask the groom’s mom if she’s the bride to highlight her wedding dress mistake.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comment from user DottedUnicorn discussing a groom’s mom showing up in a wedding dress and disrupting the event.
Woman wearing a wedding dress with long sleeves, highlighted as groom’s mom, causing wedding day disruption.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comment in bold black text reacting negatively to a wedding guest, discussing the groom’s mom showing up in a wedding dress and ruining the couple’s big day.
Groom’s mom wearing a wedding dress with many sleeves, overshadowing the couple on their big day.
ADVERTISEMENT
Groom’s mom in a wedding dress with more sleeves, causing tension and disrupting the couple’s big day celebration.
ADVERTISEMENT
Bride adjusting satin bow on lace wedding dress with close-up detail, highlighting wedding dress and sleeves design.
Approaching the situation with empathy and calmness ensures the day isn’t ruined
If you’re in the same tough spot as the couples in both stories, flipping out may be an instinctive response. However, such a reaction could ruin a day you’ve both been looking forward to.
This is why responding calmly with empathy would be the best way to go, according to psychologist and marriage specialist Bonnie Maslin, Ph.D.
“Don’t act in kind but in kindness. You can’t go wrong with empathy,” Maslin said in an interview with Glamour.
Some people may also avoid confronting the erring person out of fear of escalating the situation. However, Maslin says the opposite is true. According to her, allowing the individual to say their piece on why they were acting the way they were may help avoid a worse episode fueled by alcohol later in the night.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Neither story indicated how the couples reacted, but hopefully, they were able to take things in stride without allowing the moment to ruin their day.
As expected, commenters weren’t pleased, as some shared similar experiences
Comment suggesting wearing a wedding dress to every event in response to groom’s mom showing up in wedding dress.
Commenters discuss groom’s reaction and marriage status after groom’s mom shows up in wedding dress, ruining couple’s wedding day.
Groom’s mom in a wedding dress with more sleeves, causing tension at the couple’s wedding day event.
ADVERTISEMENT
Groom’s mom shows up in wedding dress with more sleeves, causing drama and ruining the couple’s big day celebration.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comment about groom’s mom showing up in wedding dress, disrupting couple’s big day with more sleeves.
Comment discussing a family tradition of publicly shaming anyone who wears a wedding dress to someone else’s wedding.
ADVERTISEMENT
Groom’s mom wearing a wedding dress with more sleeves, causing a disruption at the couple’s big day celebration.
Groom’s mom wearing a wedding dress with long sleeves, standing in a wedding venue, overshadowing the couple’s special day.
ADVERTISEMENT
Poll Question
Total votes ·
Thanks! Check out the results:
Total votes ·
Newsletter
Subscribe to Access Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.
I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.
32
23